Despite construction, local business owners don't want to see sales hitting a detour. Our Lori Chung has more from Fuller Road in Albany.

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ALBANY, N.Y. -- “I’m a little worried,” said Donna Garramone. “I’ve been worried since the road construction started.”

But it’s a new detour at Fuller Road and Washington Avenue that Garramone is concerned will keep the aisles at Arlene’s Artist Materials empty.

“We do a really large back to school business and a lot of our schools are located on the other side of Washington [Avenue].”

Shoppers on the strip learned that Washington Avenue at Fuller Road won’t be open until September 25th.

“Now I have go out of my way because I need to go to the other end and it’s hard to get there,” said Kitty Scharl of Voorheesville.

County and business leaders are now hoping new postings will help customers along.

“DOT has been working with us to make sure that we have the signs out,” said County Executive Dan McCoy. “You can still get to Fuller Road from I-90 by taking Exit 2 and if you’re coming from Western Ave., you can go through Rapp Road.”

But business owners on Fuller Road tell us they were caught off guard by the closure.

“We heard nothing from the state until last week,” said Jerry Sykes, owner of The Party Warehouse.

The retail store is now giving customers an extra incentive to bear the traffic.

“If you come this month, we’ll give you a discount on the merchandise to help encourage people to come here.”

Sykes say the Fuller Road construction project has caused 20 percent drop in business. Business owners say they really want, is more communication from the state so that they can plan for these kinds of closures in the future.